Bertolt Brecht
Saturday morning after Christmas day. State Street in Geneva is eerily quiet. Traffic is scarce. I’ve never before witnessed this scene of absence. No roaring eighteen-wheelers, vanity pickups and car traffic on this main artery to the bridge over the Fox River. Old buildings stand as a double row of street side tombstones in the dim, damp early morning. Not a soul is in sight on the sidewalks illuminated by a faint glow from Christmas display windows. Am I witness to a town abandoned, the day after civilization had ended?
Thankfully I awake from this dream. Others are joining me here at Starbucks.
I want to share some quotes from Bertolt Brecht, a German playwright. Brecht was a youth during WWI and later fled his country to live abroad during the nightmare of WWII. He wrote plays and poetry as an act of resistance to the virulent Nazi infection that overwhelmed Europe. It is not overstating to say that Bertolt Brecht’s work has endured, a voice against tyranny, and advocate for universal human rights.
Brecht’s words are prescient, provocative as we have a tyrant-in-the-making who seeks a second term as President of this country. These are dark days as this delusional man and his supporters intend to build a steel wall dividing us from Mexico, a monument to their Nationalism, and White Supremacist ideology. Tyranny has appeal when a system is failing. Growing numbers are without work at a decent wage, — more to the point, without the existential meaning and bread which good work provides. The American Dream: working two or three part-time jobs for low wages, and no benefits…
Grub first, then ethics.
For time is short and the unknown surrounds us; and it isn’t enough just to live unthinking and happy, calmly bearing oppression and only learning wisdom with age. — Antigone – In a Version by Bertolt Brecht
Nowadays, anyone who wishes to combat lies and ignorance and to write the truth must overcome at least five difficulties. He must have the courage to write the truth when truth is everywhere opposed; the keenness to recognize it, although it is everywhere concealed; the skill to manipulate it as a weapon; the judgment to select those in whose hands it will be effective; and the running to spread the truth among such persons.”
― GalileoThe worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.” ―
We attacked a foreign people and treated them like rebels. As you know, it’s all right to treat barbarians barbarically. It’s the desire to be barbaric that makes governments call their enemies barbarians.” ―
The war which is coming
Is not the first one. There were
Other wars before it.
When the last one came to an end
There were conquerors and conquered.
Among the conquered the common people
Starved. Among the conquerors
The common people starved too.― Poems 1913-1956
Who does Not Know the Truth, is simply a Fool… Yet who Knows the Truth and Calls it a Lie, is a Criminal.
Life is more than the fault line within human nature. So I offer this tune/video for your inspiration. Take courage! Lyrics follow the video.
Once In A Lifetime
By Talking Heads
And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, “Well… how did I get here?”
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again after the money’s gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
And you may ask yourself, “How do I work this?”
And you may ask yourself, “Where is that large automobile?”
And you may tell yourself, “This is not my beautiful house”
And you may tell yourself, “This is not my beautiful wife”
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again after the money’s gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Water dissolving and water removing
There is water at the bottom of the ocean
Under the water, carry the water
Remove the water at the bottom of the ocean
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, into the silent water
Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again after the money’s gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
And you may ask yourself, “What is that beautiful house?”
And you may ask yourself, “Where does that highway go to?”
And you may ask yourself, “Am I right? Am I wrong?”
And you may tell yourself, “My God! What have I done?”
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again, into the silent water
Under the rocks and stones, there is water underground
Letting the days go by, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by, water flowing underground
Into the blue again after the money’s gone
Once in a lifetime, water flowing underground
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was and look where my hand was
Time isn’t holding up, time isn’t after us
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Letting the days go by, same as it ever was
Here a twister comes, here comes the twister
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Same as it ever was, same as it ever was
Once in a lifetime, let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by
